OBEDIENCE...CAN YA DO IT?

I can remember as a little girl how I loved Jesus. Yes, I really, really did love Him. He was my idol. I thought He was all that.

Now that I am much older, I know I love Him still, and even more than I could ever have imagined. The thing is, I haven't always walked with Him. Yes, it's true. There have been the times in my life when I was anything but obedient to the One I had given my life, and allegience, to. I allowed life, my friends, and the great big wide world to interfere in my very personal relationship with my God.

Rebellion. That word was big on my list at times. First it was my parents, then my teachers, and even well-meaning friends. I knew best, they knew nothing. Funny how age and experience change how you view things, isn't it? Not laughing funny, but funny funny. You know what I mean. It's serious stuff. And we should always treat it that way.

Older, wiser, and more aware is what I am these days. I can look back and honestly tell you that even in those times when I was walking in the other direction, I always knew God was with me. When I lived for the things I wanted to do, for the things I wanted, for the lifestyle I thought was 'cool', I can remember even talking to Him. Did He hear me? Did He listen to me? Because I was indeed saved, I believe He did. Because, you see, He wanted me back.

John 10:27-30: 'My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father's hand.'

Once His, forever His. It's a promise. Straight from Jesus, Who is also God, directly to you. And to me. How awesome is that?

So, I have come to understand the importance of obedience. To my parents, to my employer, to anyone who is in authority over me, including my spouse, unless that obedience means going against God's Word. The ultimate obedience is to Jesus, who has done more than enough for me. If He never does one more thing for me, He has already done it all. For this I pledge my obedience to my last breath.

Think about it! Can ya do it? Really? Can you disregard your friends or co-workers when they make fun of you for it? Are you able to smile in spite of any persecution you experience, because you 'did the right thing'? Will you persevere, reaching for the goal, to obtain that good and perfect end, the race well run, the ultimate reward, even when it has become the difficult thing?

Jesus is worth it. He is all that there is that is of true importance. He created us for His enjoyment, not because He NEEDED us. He WANTED us. That's a whole different thing, that is. We exist for His pleasure.

So if we really want to please His heart, to bless Him, what better way than to show Him our obedience, which is truly our pure love for Him. Try it! I think ya CAN do it!

Blessings!

Where I Am, Where I Aim to Go, How You Can Help

When I started Ohiolilisview a couple of years ago, I had high aspirations. Yes, I thought, here is my ticket. This is my break. Now I'll get somewhere quick! Yup.

Didn't happen. Not like that. No way Jay! But I persevered and slowly started seeing, in my stats, that people really are reading my stuff. That gave me the encouragement to keep on keeping on. That, and the fact that God wouldn't let me give up.

I have found that there are people from all over the world reading this blog. The number of people is not astounding, but the places they live totally surprised me. While the largest number is from right here in the good old U.S. of A., including Alaska (neat! Sarah Palin, do you think?), there are some from Iran, Japan, Germany, Italy, England, Russia, Nigeria, Canada, South Korea, Ukraine, and China. Wow! And the really neat thing is there are several from each country! It is a privilege to share God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit with all of you. Some of you don't have the freedom we do here to worship and gather together. So I thank you for allowing me to share with you.

I am equally amazed at the different search engines being used. The usual ones like Internet Explorer, and Firefox, but many more that I have never heard of. Some folks use PC's and other computer types, and some are using Iphones and Blackberry's. Now that is super cool.

I am amazed, and quite appreciative, that Blogger does such a great job of gathering the stat information. It just positively captivates me!

I have created another blog on Wordpress, Angelwingdevotionals. That one is newer, but is beginning to pick up an audience as well. I write for a Christian e-magazine too, EveryDayChristian.com. And now I have two articles scheduled for publication in TruthMedia Devotionals, an online Christian women's site, both in August. I now have a Facebook Page, Lili Richey Willard, Christian Author, Devotional Writer. Each day, well ALMOST each day, I post a little article, devotional, or brief Word of the Day, which also appears on Twitter. And...last but not least, I write on Faithwriters.com, which is a totally awesome website for Christian writers.

So I have made progress. However, I want to be able to publish a devotional one day. I might write a work of fiction. Who knows? But I need your help to do this.

So if you are one of the many who have been reading this blog, please take the time to sign up to 'follow' me, and by all means, take a couple of extra minutes to give me a comment once in awhile, or a 'like' or something, for goodness sake! If I don't know what you like and don't like about my writing, then neither of us is happy.

Most of all I wish to glorify God. So please let me know if anything you have read on this website has been of value to you, if it has been a help on your walk with the Lord. Because I wish to honor Him, I am ready to invite you to make suggestions on topics you would like me to write about. I may have personally 'survived' an issue you are dealing with, or know someone who has. Or you may inspire me to spread my wings and write about something totally foreign to me! Either way, God will receive the glory and honor through it all.

The point is, I know you are visiting me! I would like to hear from my audience, and get to know you. You can help me while I am trying to help you. Please share my articles with others, and I would so appreciate you recommending this blog, and my other blogs, to your friends and family.

God has been very good to me and mine. He is my ultimate inspiration. He puts thoughts and words on my mind, and enables my clumsy fingers to type at a furious pace to get those thoughts and words in print. If I can't find the time to write, I become very frustrated, and feel like I'm caged. So you can see, this is my passion, and I need to write of what God has done in my life, and in the lives of others.

I appreciate each and every one of you. I hope you will understand this post and realize my aim is to please God first, and you right after that!

Blessings!